


Temptation Bad

by Delenn (goddessdel)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Episode: s06e11 Gone, F/M, Screenplay/Script Format, episode AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-04-27
Updated: 2004-04-27
Packaged: 2018-11-06 04:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11029065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddessdel/pseuds/Delenn
Summary: Branches off of the BtVS ep. “Gone” and takes it for my own ride/spin. Let’s see how well “Gone” could have gone if just a few things had worked out better.





	Temptation Bad

**Author's Note:**

> Date Started/Date Finished: August 27th 2004
> 
> Script transcribed courtesy of Joan the English Chick.
> 
>  _italics_ indicate actual script. So if you don’t want reread the episode, skip ‘em. However, I did change some important parts, marked by non-italics, and I also cut some parts out. You’ve been warned.

_Open on Buffy in the kitchen, yelling toward upstairs._

_BUFFY: Dawn, come on, you gotta eat breakfast! Xander's gonna be here any second._

_No response. Buffy sighs, turns back into the kitchen._

_BUFFY: She's gonna be late for school again._

_Willow is at the stove cooking, wearing pajamas. Buffy looks over at her._

_Close shot of Willow's hands putting bits of ham into a cooking omelet._

_BUFFY: How are you doing?_

_WILLOW: I'm okay. Not 'ready to head back to classes, face the world' okay, but ... the shakiness is only semi now. I thought I'd spend the day fishing the net, for more poop on the, uh, stolen diamond._

_Dawn enters, her arm still in a sling._

_BUFFY: I called you before._

_DAWN: (sullen) Didn't hear you._

_Dawn pours herself a glass of orange juice._

_WILLOW: Hey Dawnie, uh, I'm making you a nice omelet._

_DAWN: Not hungry. (drinks juice)_

_BUFFY: Dawn, you need to eat something._

_DAWN: Thanks for your concern._

_Dawn slams her glass down and leaves._

_WILLOW: Okay, I deserve the wrath of Dawn, but ... why is she taking it out on you?_

_BUFFY: Because I let it happen._

_WILLOW: Buffy, I was the one who-_

_BUFFY: Who was drowning. My best friend. And I was too wrapped up in my own dumb life to even notice._

_Suddenly the door from the back porch bursts open. Willow and Buffy look over in surprise as a blanket-covered shape enters, slams the door shut and throws off the blanket, revealing Spike. He straightens up, smoothes down his hair, looks at them._

_SPIKE: Morning._

_BUFFY: What are you doing? And, here? (Willow returns to cooking)_

_SPIKE: Just, uh, took a stroll. Found myself in your neck of the woods._

_BUFFY: Couldn't find a less flammable time of day to take a stroll?_

_SPIKE: Yeah, well, the fact is my lighter's gone missing. Thought it might have, uh, dropped outta my pocket the last time I was here._

_BUFFY: Haven't seen it._

_Buffy turns to the sink. Willow takes the omelet pan and puts it on the counter next to the sink._

_WILLOW: I'm, uh, gonna head back to my room, get dressed._

_BUFFY: Oh, I..._

_Buffy starts to follow Willow out, but stops. She leans one hand against the island, watches Willow go. Then she turns to Spike with a resigned expression._

_BUFFY: Lame._

_SPIKE: What?_

_BUFFY: You. Making up excuses. (goes back to the sink)_

_SPIKE: Oh, don't flatter yourself, luv. (walking toward her) Bloody fond of that lighter._

_Buffy turns away from the sink, glares at him._

_BUFFY: Stop trying to see me. And stop calling me that._

_SPIKE: (walks over to her) So, um ... what should I call you then? Pet?_

_Buffy just looks at him as he leans right up in her face._

_SPIKE: (grinning) Sweetheart? My, uh ... (fondling a piece of her hair) little goldilocks?_

_He toys with her hair for a moment with one hand, then the other._

_SPIKE: You know I love this hair. The way it bounces around when you-_

_Buffy suddenly lifts her hand out of the sink, holding a spatula on trajectory toward Spike's face, but he grabs her wrist and stops it._

_SPIKE: Ah-ah-ah! This flapjack's not ready to be flipped._

_His other hand is on her shoulder and now drops down out of shot._

_BUFFY: What the hell is that supposed to-_

_Buffy breaks off with a small sigh of pleasure, closing her eyes._

_BUFFY: (whispers) Stop that._

_Spike looks downward, but we still can't see what his hand is doing._

BUFFY: Not… Xander will be here and…

SPIKE: Wanna keep me your dirty lil secret then?

They both look down and Buffy gasps.

SPIKE: Let’s go someplace quieter then, (whispers) c’mon…

BUFFY: (Eyes half closed, makes a token protest) An-and Dawn has to get off to school and…

(from offstage) WILLOW: Buffy, Xander’s here and… Dawnie?

DAWN: Gone, (bounds down the stairs without so much of a glance towards Buffy and Spike in the kitchen) c’mon Xander, don’t want me to be late for school. (Sarcastically and hostilely) Thanks, Willow.

Buffy looks longingly towards the living room, as though she had wanted to catch Dawn.

The door slams and Willow comes briefly in sight, trudging up the stairs with her eyes on the floor, her hands on the railing still slightly shaky.

WILLOW: (quietly) Maybe I’ll just not get dressed today, and… Sleep is good.

SPIKE: (as soon as Willow’s gone) And, and, the Bit and Xander are gone, and before you say it, Red’s toddled off to bed… Let’s follow her example, yeah?

Spike tilts his head closer to Buffy, seeking a kiss - his eyes still looking at hers. Without warning, Buffy drops the spatula in the sink and grabs Spike’s head in her hands, pulling him down to kiss her.

BUFFY: (out of breath) Bed, now.

They kiss again, half walking half stumbling back towards the stairs. Buffy jumps up and wraps her legs around Spike’s waist and we finally see Spike’s hands as they move to Buffy’s bottom, holding her in place as they begin to ascend the stairs.

We again see Spike and Buffy kissing as they start up the stairs, and this time it’s Buffy’s hands that drop out of sight, Spike moving his up to her waist. He makes a choked noise.

BUFFY: (gasping) Mmm… shh… Willow…

SPIKE: (moving to kiss along her collarbone) Trying, Goldilocks.

The door to her room is slightly ajar, but there are no spare hands to open it. Spike slams backwards into it and the door gives, sending Spike tumbling to the floor, with Buffy on top.

Buffy slams a foot back and kicks the door shut with a louder bang.

WILLOW: (offstage and sounding slightly muffled) Is everything all right, Buffy?

BUFFY: (straddling Spike proper and pulling her shirt over her head as Spike hastily works at undoing her pants) Yeah, Willow, (pans back up to Buffy’s face as she gasps and her mouth makes a little ‘O’) just great…

Seeing Buffy from her shoulders up. The straps of her bra slide off and we see it thrown to the side; Spike’s shirt closely follows.

Shots back and forth between Buffy moving above Spike, her hair over her shoulders haphazardly, and gazing up at her as they both obviously bite back moans and…

Cut to outside, where DORIS KROGER stands, knocking at the seemingly deserted house. She checks her watch, checks the house number, knocks again, then tries to peek into a window, but all the blinds are closed. Finally, she sighs, turning back down the lane and walking to her car.

Cut to Willow, in her room, clutching her blankets and tossing and turning, but obviously asleep.

Cut to later in the morning, a phone ringing in the Summers’ house, downstairs, and nobody there to answer it.

The message comes on and there’s a beep, as we look at the flashing 0 light on the answering machine.

DORIS KROGER: Buffy Summers? This is Doris Kroger, from Social Services. I came by earlier for our appointment, but nobody was home. (Huffily) I must say, it was rather inconvenient, you should have rescheduled if you were going to be out, and this is not the first time that I’ve had to… (Stops herself and forces a cheery voice) Anyhoo, if you’d like to reschedule, we’ll try to find a better time.

There’s another beep and the flashing light on the message machine turns to 1.

Cut to later in the day, Buffy’s room.

Buffy is scrambling around the floor for clothes, clad in her bra and jeans.

We see Spike, reclined against the foot of her bed, from the waist up.

BUFFY: (finding his jeans in the mess of her room and tossing them at his head) Get dressed!

SPIKE: (moving to put his jeans on with a little eye roll) You kicking me out already, luv?

BUFFY: (quieter and softer, picking up a shirt and twisting it as she talks) It’s just, Willow’s here, and she’s having a hard time, y’know, and it’s just… you should go.

SPIKE: (rising, now clad in his jeans, as Buffy scurries about, avoiding his eyes and trying to right her bedroom) So, we gonna chat this out, or what?

BUFFY: There’s nothing to (looks down at the shirt and realizes it’s his; tosses it towards Spike) talk about…

Buffy turns and Spike’s right there, very much in her personal space. She tries to dodge out of his grasp, and he grabs her arms and holds her there.

SPIKE: (his eyes search hers) Yeah, there is.

BUFFY: (quietly) Why won't you go?

SPIKE: (surprised) I just thought you'd want-

BUFFY: (harshly) Get out of here!

Spike looks surprised, then angry. He lunges forward and pins Buffy against the wall, one hand on the wall beside her head. Their faces are inches apart.

Spike does something with his other hand out of shot and Buffy closes her eyes, breathes heavily.

Close shot of Spike's hand inside Buffy's front jeans pocket, moving around. Then he pulls out his lighter and holds it up in front of her face.

SPIKE: Just getting what I came for, luv.

He moves in closer to kiss her, but then turns and drops to his knees, his hand reaching out for his discarded shirt.

Shot of Spike from above, looking up at Buffy with a wicked smirk.

SPIKE: (pulls his shirt over his head and stuffs his lighter in his jeans pocket) Goldilocks.

Buffy sighs, breathing a little heavily and looking upset. After a moment she slides down the wall and joins Spike on the floor.

BUFFY: (quietly) Willow almost got Dawn killed and it’s my fault. Everything’s my fault now. My best friend, getting sucked into something that was killing her and I wasn’t watching her, watching out for her. I was too caught up with, (looks meaningfully at Spike, then quickly looks away) with you.

For a moment, Spike’s features sadden, and then he’s back to himself.

SPIKE: Slayer, (he strokes a lock of her hair out of her face and she tilts her head away) Buffy, look at me. Willow’s problem is not your fault. Red got into big magicks when she brought you back. There are always consequences, and this was hers. It’s not your fault, pet. She’s fighting back now, and that, that is your fault; you saved her, all right.

Shot of Buffy looking up slowly at Spike.

SPIKE: Xander, Tara, they knew she was falling, and they didn’t make it better, didn’t do enough. Red had to hit bottom to come up for air and when she did, you were the one there, not anybody else. You’re the one that got through to her. (chuckles ruefully) There, think I’ve had my fill of big speeches now. How ‘bout you?

BUFFY: (giving a small smile and offering teasingly) You still have to go.

SPIKE: (nods and stands, finding his duster and flinging it on) Yeah. (shrugs) If the Bit gives you any more lip, send her over; I’ll scare her into respecting her Big Sis (fake growls).

BUFFY: (in mock indignation as she stands as well, pausing to grab her shirt that she sees laying over her dresser, and follows Spike out into the hall) Don’t you dare go all ‘grr’ on my baby sister!

Spike: (chuckling and moving closer to Buffy again) Well then, maybe Big Sis’ll have to come over instead. (His voice drops huskily) Got lots of evil, wicked things to do to her.

Buffy’s just tilting her head towards Spike’s, when we hear rustling from the door across from them, Willow’s room. Both Spike and Buffy pull away.

SPIKE: (sighs) So long, Goldilocks.

Buffy watches Spike leave and waits until the door shuts, quietly, before turning to Willow’s room and knocking softly.

BUFFY: (pulling her shirt on quickly) Hey, Wills, anything you need?

WILLOW: (opening the door and poking her head out, dressed now) Yeah, actually, I was wondering if maybe you could get me some coffee, or, or tea, or even hot chocolate? We’re all out… But, y’know, if you don’t want to go to the store, or, or, that’s okay too, y’know? Just, just not much feeling like going out and that’s okay because it’s better and, maybe I could go out after all and…

BUFFY: (cutting her off) It’s fine, I’ll just get my jacket.

_Cut to the street, mid-day. Warren emerges from the rear of the Geeks' black van, closes the door and walks around the side of the van, carrying something covered by a cloth. Andrew and Jonathan appear on either side of him, walking. We see that they're in an alley._

_ANDREW: I'm scared, what if we get caught?_

_JONATHAN: No way, we'll be invisible. Plus their security's gotten lax._

_WARREN: (chuckles) You should know. You've cased this joint enough._

_They emerge from the alley onto a main street, turn the corner and approach a large storefront. The sign in the window reads: "Spa, Women Only. Bikini Wax Wednesdays" and a cartoon picture of a woman._

_WARREN: Okay, this is it._

_The Geeks stop walking. Warren faces the others._

_WARREN: Remember..._

_Warren removes the black cloth, revealing the invisibility ray gun._

_WARREN: ...we're professionals._

_The others nod uncertainly. Andrew looks away._

Long shot of Buffy emerging from a small food store across and down the street, carrying a small paper bag. She begins to walk across the sidewalk.

ANDREW: (nudging Jonathan nervously) Uh, Slayer!

WARREN: What? Wh-where?

ANDREW: There. Headed this way.

Warren turns to look, fearfully.

Buffy walks between some parked cars (one minivan with bumper stickers reading "God Bless America" and "United We Stand") and begins to cross the street.

Cut back to Warren staring at her. He lifts his hand and suddenly realizes the invisibility ray isn't in it. He turns and realizes that the other two geeks aren't standing behind him any more.

JONATHAN: (OS) Give it!

Cut to the alley just around the corner. Andrew and Jonathan are fighting over the ray gun. Warren runs around the corner and finds them.

ANDREW: No, I need to be invisible!

JONATHAN: I need it more, Buffy can't see me!

WARREN: Hey, watch it, don't you-

Warren runs over and tries to get the ray away from them. The bit on top is spinning and the whirring noise intensifies.

Suddenly the red light bursts out of the invisibility ray. It hits Buffy as she walks past the mouth of the alley. It also hits a tree, a fire hydrant, some traffic cones, and a Dumpster, all of which immediately disappear.

The Geeks stare in dismay. Zoom in on Andrew.

ANDREW: Oopsie.

Blackout.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open on a close shot of Xander in the magic shop, staring at something.

XANDER: What happened to Buffy? She's gone.

ANYA: She's right here.

We see that Xander and Anya are studying a diagram of seating arrangements.

ANYA: (points) Table four. I put her with your family.

XANDER: Great. Except, we don't hate Buffy.

Shot of the magic shop door opening but there's no one there.

XANDER: (OS) Let's put her back at table one. (The door closes again and the camera pulls back into the shop)

ANYA: (OS) Well, where do I put D'Hoffryn?

XANDER: (OS) We're not inviting D'Hoffryn.

ANYA: We have to, he's my ex-boss! You're inviting your work buddies.

The camera continues pulling back and then swings around to face Anya and Xander again. We hear Buffy's voice but we don't see her.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: She's got a point.

XANDER: Hey, Buffy...

Xander turns around to look at Buffy, but doesn't see her. Confused, he stands up and looks around.

XANDER: Where ... where are you?

INVISIBLE BUFFY: At table four, apparently.

ANYA: (frowning, looking around) Well, that remains to be seen. Like you.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Don't strain yourself looking, Xander. I'm invisible girl.

Anya comes out from behind the counter as Xander continues looking around, holding his hands up at breast height.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Uh, Xander?

Xander jumps and pulls his hands back quickly.

XANDER: (nervous laugh) Sorry! (to Anya) Her clothes are ... invisible ... too. (to the empty air where he thinks Buffy is) Buffy, how did this hap ... wait a sec, have you been feeling ... ignored lately?

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Yeah, ignored. I wish. No, this isn't a Marcie deal. I don't know what happened. I left Main Street after getting some groceries, oh there’s invisi-groceries in a bag on the table, and-

ANYA: That reminds me, I have to go shopping.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Oh, yeah? There’s this neat new foodstuffs store down the street from my hairdresser.

ANYA: Really? I was thinking about getting my hair cut before the wed-

XANDER: Can we get back to freaking out about no-show Buffy? (Anya looks chastised) This is serious.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: I know. It kind of fits the day I've had.

The camera moves over to a table where there's a basket full of baseball-sized balls. One of them lifts into the air and begins moving around as if Buffy is tossing it from hand to hand.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Willow's still a wreck, Dawn's mad at both of us…

_Invisible Buffy holds up a second ball. The balls have symbols painted on them that make them look a little like eyes. She holds them next to each other, moves them as if the eyes are looking side to side._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: You know, there may be an upside to no-see-me. (the balls float over toward Anya)_

_XANDER: Buff, did you say anyone, or ... anything suspicious before you ... cleared out?_

_Buffy continues playing with the 'eyes' next to Anya's head, making Anya nervous. She turns them so they look cross-eyed._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Nope, didn't see nothin'. (laughs) See what I did there, with the eyeballs?_

_ANYA: (nervously, to Xander) Why would anyone make her invisible anyway? I mean, invisible Slayer's gotta be way more effective than the standard variety._

_Through this the 'eyeballs' turn to 'look' at Anya and then at Xander. Now they move away. We hear Buffy's footsteps._

_XANDER: Yeah, I'm less with the why and more with the how. We get the how, then we got how to make her unseen sight seen again, right?_

_A human skull floats up beside Xander's shoulder. Its mouth moves up and down._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: 'Saright!_

_XANDER: (annoyed) Buffy, could you focus please?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: (making the skull 'look around') I am! Just ... this is kind of fun._

_ANYA: Well, it would help if we had a little bit more to go on. Or ... anything to go on._

_XANDER: Well, I could go check the spot where Buffy disappeared. Snoop for clues._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: (putting skull back on a shelf) Yeah, right. Uh, hey, you know what? I'm just gonna ... go for a walk. (footsteps heading toward the door)_

_XANDER: A walk?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Yeah. Um, clear my head. (Xander following her toward the door) You guys keep working on those whats and hows. (laughs) Clear my head._

_The door opens._

_XANDER: Buffy!_

_The door closes._

_Anya grimaces and shrugs, sits down in front of the seating plan again._

_ANYA: Well, seems pretty obvious it's some kind of spell that's done this to her._

_XANDER: Spell from who? You said it yourself, it makes no sense for one of her enemies to make her invisible._

_ANYA: Maybe it's a mistake._

_XANDER: A magical mistake. (small laugh) Who'd be messing with that kind of pow-_

_Suddenly he stops, looking thoughtful. Anya turns to look at him._

 

_Cut to the Summers house, dining room. Pan across the table covered with open books. Willow's computer is set up at the end of the table, and she sits in front of it, drinking from a bottle of water._

_She puts the water down, picks up a book and looks under it, looks under another pile of books. Looks across and sees the book she wants -- at the other end of the table._

_Willow holds out her hand. The book moves a little. She stops, pulls her hand back._

_Sound of the door opening._

_XANDER: Willow._

_WILLOW: (OS) Xander!_

_Xander enters from the front door and walks into the dining room. Willow looks guilty._

_XANDER: How's it going?_

_WILLOW: Um ... good. (Xander sits) I, I, uh, found ... out some stuff about the diamond stolen from the museum. (Xander not really listening) It's called the Illuminata, and there's rumors of it having quasi-mystical quantum properties._

_XANDER: Willow, we need to talk._

_WILLOW: (nervous) We ... are talking. Well, I'm talking and you're looking at me funny._

_XANDER: Is there something you wanna tell me?_

_They look at each other for a moment. Willow looks upset._

_WILLOW: It was nothing, I ... I-I didn't slip._

_XANDER: Will, nobody's mad. Relapse is a part of recovery, we understand that. We just have to figure a way to fix it._

_WILLOW: (confused) Fix what?_

_XANDER: Fix Buffy._

_WILLOW: Buffy's broken?_

_XANDER: Will, you know what I'm talki - (sees her expression) You don't know._

_Willow shakes her head, still confused._

_XANDER: Rhymes with ... 'blinvisible'?_

_WILLOW: What?_

XANDER: Buffy was in town, leaving the foodstore place, when she suddenly just-

_WILLOW: (upset) And you think I had something to do with this?_

_XANDER: Uh, no ... not ... (sighs) Well, come on, Will. Some of the spells you've done have caused some weird stuff to happen to each of us at one time or another. And let's not forget the recent forgetting._

_WILLOW: Oh. I see, so now when anything nasty happens, I get conveniently blamed for it?_

_XANDER: No one's blaming!_

_WILLOW: (stands up) So ... I guess it wouldn't matter if I just jump off the wagon completely ... since you already think I'm making pit stops._

_XANDER: Well, look, if you said you didn't do it - (Willow grabs her coat and goes past him) Willow, where you going?_

_WILLOW: For a walk._

_She opens the front door and exits. Xander watches her go in dismay._

 

_Cut to the Geek Trio's underground lair. Warren is working on the invisibility ray, using a small blow-torch. Jonathan and Andrew watch._

_WARREN: Couple of circuits are burned out, and the wiring's all fried._

_ANDREW: But we had so many plans. Naked women, and all ... well, all-all the naked women. (to Jonathan) This is all your fault, if you hadn't grabbed it from me-_

_JONATHAN: Hey, we got a lot bigger problems here, bonehead. The Slayer's invisible now?_

_ANDREW: He's right. (to Warren) She could be anywhere. (Warren stops working, looks at him) Even here, right now._

_All three look around very nervously._

_ANDREW: (quietly) Watching. Listening to every word we say. (very dramatically) For all we know, she could be one of us!_

_Warren and Jonathan look each other up and down for a long moment, anxiously. Suddenly they all burst into relieved laughter._

_ANDREW: Oh, wait, no, guys, that isn't true._

_WARREN: (returning to his work) I wouldn't sweat the Slayer too much._

_JONATHAN: Says you. In my book an invisible slayer means a whole world of trouble._

 

_Cut to a park, day. A young woman sits on a bench reading a book. She wears a purple baseball cap. The camera moves toward her. We can see that the edges of the cap are decorated with metal studs._

_Suddenly the cap lifts off the woman's head and floats around in front of her face. She looks very surprised._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: (spooky voice) I am the ghost of fashion victims past. (normal voice) Studded caps? Not a good idea._

_The woman looks scared, gets up and runs away._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Hey! I'm doing you a favor!_

_The camera (Buffy's POV) swings down to discover a garbage can. The cap drops into it. Then the camera moves around to see two people jogging past._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Naah ... too easy._

_The camera moves forward toward the street. We see a cop standing next to a parked SUV, writing a ticket. The camera moves closer._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Hmm..._

_The camera moves back to find the cop's golf-cart-like vehicle parked behind the SUV._

_Cut back to the cop. He looks up in surprise at the sound of an engine starting._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: So long, copper!_

_The golf cart drives past him and on down the street, apparently empty. The cop runs after it._

_COP: Hey ... Hey! That's mine! Stop!_

 

_Cut to the golf cart pulling to a stop beside the curb in another part of town._

_The camera continues moving away from the cart as whistling starts -- to the tune of Buffy's song "Alive" from episode "Once More With Feeling."_

 

_Cut to Xander walking down the street. He passes the spa, enters the mouth of the alley, and finds Willow. She has a can of red spray paint and is spraying the Dumpster, making it visible again._

_XANDER: Hey Will. (she turns) Whatcha doin'?_

_WILLOW: (defensive) Look, Xander, I - I figured out this was where Buffy disappeared from what you told me, so don't start jumping to any conclusions._

_XANDER: (holds up his hands) No jumping, look, feet firmly planted. (smiles)_

_WILLOW: (embarrassed) I'm not feeling like myself right now, sorry._

_XANDER: Me too. Sorry. (she nods) So! What have we found out so far?_

_WILLOW: Well, take a look at that! (points)_

_We see a tire-mark on the ground._

_WILLOW: Something sped outta here pretty darn quick to, to make that kind of tread mark._

_XANDER: Well, this could have been made any time._

_WILLOW: Yeah, but this ... wasn't._

_Willow takes out a small vial from her pocket and holds it up. Xander takes it._

_XANDER: What is it?_

_WILLOW: (walking away) Paint that I scraped off the fire hydrant._

_She stops at a different part of sidewalk. Xander follows her, studying the vial._

_XANDER: What fire hydrant? (clanking noise) Ow!_

_Xander hops around on one foot, his other leg having been injured by walking into the invisible fire hydrant._

_WILLOW: That one._

_Willow lowers her voice and makes gestures from the alleyway to where they are now._

_WILLOW: Whatever hit this fire hydrant hit it after it was made invisible. And betcha by golly wow, that something was the same something that shot out of that alley._

_XANDER: (pondering) Black paint? Buffy's phantom van. (Willow nods) We gotta let Buffy - whoa!_

_Xander takes a step backward and bumps into something._

_XANDER: There's something there. (pointing)_

_Willow sprays her can of spray paint where he's pointing. A traffic cone slowly takes shape._

_WILLOW: I-it's a pylon, one of those orange traffic cones. (continues spraying) You should take it to the Magic Box. It might help you and Anya figure out what kind of spell was used._

_XANDER: What about you?_

_WILLOW: (stands up) Well, I got paint scrapings... (gives Xander the paint can and takes the vial from him) ...and a tire mark. I'm gonna find this van that's been stalking Buffy. (Xander nods) By the way, where *is* Buffy?_

_Xander shrugs in confusion._

 

_Cut to Spike's crypt. Spike sits slouched in his chair, watching TV._

_WOMAN ON TV: (screaming) Oh my god, the blood! Look at all the blood!_

_Spike looks down at his stomach, puts his hand on it, gets up. He walks over to a small refrigerator, opens it, takes out a jar of blood. Takes off the lid and lifts the jar to his mouth._

_Noise from the door. Spike pauses, looks over._

_The door to the crypt is open, swinging on its hinges. No one is visible there._

_Spike looks at it for a moment, puts his jar down and walks slowly toward the door, looking around._

_SPIKE: Whatever beastie you are, I know you're here. And I hurt beasties._

_Invisible Buffy's POV: moving past Spike from behind, looking down toward his butt and then onward._

_Spike jumps as if something had grabbed his butt._

_SPIKE: Hey, watch it._

_The noise of the TV suddenly stops as the TV switches off. Spike sighs in irritation._

_SPIKE: A ghost, is it? (looking around) Go and haunt the living, like a good spook._

_The camera moves slowly around him as he looks around, confused._

_Suddenly something grabs his shoulder. He tries to grab it and is spun around by his arm, slammed up against a wall. He gasps, tries to move forward but is shoved against the wall again. His shirt rips open. He looks down at his bare chest._

_Close on Spike's face as he frowns in confusion, then gives a little gasp of pleasure, continues frowning._

_SPIKE: (tentatively) Buffy?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I told you ... stop trying to see me._

_She pulls Spike away from the wall suddenly._

 

_Cut to the magic shop. Anya and Xander sit looking at books. The no-longer-invisible traffic cone sits on the table in front of them._

_ANYA: Oh, I got it!_

_XANDER: Really?_

_ANYA: Yeah, we'll put D'Hoffryn at your parents' table, and move your Uncle Rory to table five near the bar._

_XANDER: Ahn honey, we're looking for invisibility spells here._

_ANYA: Well, obviously I haven't found anything yet. At least nothing that would explain why things near Buffy become invisible._

_She reaches out to grab the traffic cone. It crumbles partly under her fingers. Anya makes a disgusted face._

_ANYA: Ew! Xander!_

_She holds up her hand with traffic-cone residue on it._

_XANDER: What happened?_

_ANYA: An unpleasant tactile experience, like putting my hand in pudding._

_Xander puts out his hand and crumbles another part of the cone._

_XANDER: Ew!_

_ANYA: Like pudding, am I right? Rice, or tapioca, lumpy like that._

_XANDER: We have to find Buffy, she's gotta know._

_ANYA: (brushing off her hand) I don't think Buffy's gonna be too broken up over a pylon._

_XANDER: Anya, whatever's happening to the pylon will probably happen to her. If we don't find Buffy, I-I mean ... if we don't figure out how this was done..._

_ANYA: She's pudding?_

_They stare at each other._

_Blackout._

 

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

 

_Open on the Geeks' lair. Warren is still working on the invisibility ray._

_JONATHAN: What do you mean she's gonna fade away?_

_WARREN: The Slayer got slammed with a big-ass dose of radiation when the gun overloaded. Her cells are mutating at an accelerated rate. Eventually her molecular makeup will start losing its integrity and then ... pfft. (makes a "pfft" gesture)_

_ANDREW: But, wouldn't that kill her?_

_WARREN: Well, lemme think. (sarcastic) Yeah!_

_JONATHAN: Wait a minute! We're not killing anybody. Especially not Buffy!_

_WARREN: (sighs) You guys are so immature! (angrily) We're villains! When are you gonna get that through your thick skulls?_

_JONATHAN: We're not killers, we're crime lords!_

_ANDREW: Yeah! Like, like Lex Luthor. (gesturing with a comic book) He's always trying to take over Metropolis, but he doesn't kill Superman!_

_WARREN: Because it's Superman's book, you moron!_

_ANDREW: But Lex doesn't kill him, does he?!_

_Warren rolls his eyes in exasperation. Jonathan looks determined._

_JONATHAN: Listen, Warren ... (points forcefully at the gun) you get that ray working and the first thing we're gonna do is find Buffy and re-visible her before it's too late!_

_Warren stands up and towers over Jonathan, both staring each other down._

_JONATHAN: You got me?!_

_WARREN: Fine._

_Warren glances at Andrew, sits back down with a small smirk._

_WARREN: Whatever you guys say._

_Warren picks up his tools and goes back to work. Andrew and Jonathan nod at each other._

 

_Cut to Spike's crypt. It's dark. Xander pushes the door open and enters._

_XANDER: Spike?_

_Pan around the room. It's in disarray, various pieces of furniture lying overturned on the floor, etc. Xander looks around._

_Cut to the underground room. It's better lit with candles and a lamp. Xander enters. Sounds of heavy breathing, moaning._

_Pan across to the bed (Xander's POV). We see Spike on the bed half-covered with a sheet, moving around on top of what looks like empty air._

_XANDER: Spike?_

_Spike turns his head in alarm to look at Xander._

_XANDER: What are you doing?_

_SPIKE: What am I ... What does it look like I'm doing, you nit? I'm exercising, aren't I?_

_Spike turns back to the bed and does a couple of what might look like push-ups if you didn't know better. We hear a small yelp from Invisible Buffy._

_XANDER: Exercising. (comes closer) Naked. In bed._

_Spike stops moving, stands up on the bed and wraps the sheet around his waist._

_SPIKE: A man shouldn't use immortality as an excuse to let himself go. Gotta keep fit for the killing. (sits on the edge of the bed)_

_XANDER: (skeptical) Yuh-huh. Looks like you had a little trouble upstairs. (gestures with his head) Mini-disaster area._

_SPIKE: So what, you just come here to criticize my housekeeping?_

_XANDER: No, uh, no. I'm looking for Buf-_

_SPIKE: (quickly) Haven't seen her._

_XANDER: Well, uh, you wouldn't. The fact is, she's come down with a slight case of invisibility._

_SPIKE: (fake surprise) Yeah? How did, uh..._

_Soft murmuring and kissing noises._

_XANDER: We don't know yet._

_Noises continue. Spike's ear wiggles. He jumps._

_XANDER: Anyway, she's not at the house, and I really, really need to find her._

_SPIKE: (fidgeting) Uh, tell you what, I'll ... take a peek around first chance I get... (makes swatting gestures next to his head) and if we bump into each other, I'll clue her that you're on the lookout. (trying not to laugh)_

_XANDER: (uncertain) After your ... (gestures) exercises._

_SPIKE: (more swatting) Yeah, right._

_Xander looks confused, but he turns to go. Then turns back._

_XANDER: You know, kidding aside, Spike ... you really should get a girlfriend._

_He leaves._

_Spike sighs, looks over his shoulder._

_SPIKE: That was bloody stupid._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: What's the matter? Ashamed to be seen with me?_

_Spike gets up, tossing the sheet aside. It falls on top of Buffy, showing us the outline of her legs and hips._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Come on. He had no idea I was here. This is perfect._

_Spike goes to a side table, takes out a glass, bangs it down on the table._

_SPIKE: Perfect for you. (begins filling the glass from a bottle)_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Well, picture me confused. (Spike shaking his head) I thought this was what you wanted._

_SPIKE: (annoyed sigh) What I want..._

_He stares to the side for a moment, then looks over at the bed again._

_SPIKE: This vanishing act's right liberating for you, innit? Go anywhere you want. Do anything you want. (walks along the bed, holding the glass) Or anyone._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: What are you talking ab-_

_SPIKE: The only reason you're here, is that you're not here. (drinking)_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Right. Of course, as usual there's something wrong with Buffy. She came back all wrong. (moving around on the bed) You know, I didn't ask for this to happen to me._

SPIKE: (drinking) You didn’t come back wrong, it’s just… It’s one thing when we’re hiding in your room, another when I’m lying to your friends and (pointedly) you’re making it harder for me. (sighs) Not too put off by all this though, are you?

INVISIBLE BUFFY: No! Maybe because for the first time since ... I'm free.

She tosses the sheet aside. Spike looks around, trying to figure out where she's going.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Free of rules and reports ... free of this life.

SPIKE: Free of life? Got another name for that. Dead.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Why do you always have to ... (pouty) I thought we were having fun.

Invisible Buffy comes up to Spike and he grabs her by the shoulders, holds her away from him.

SPIKE: Yeah, now! But sooner or later your chums are gonna work out a way to bring you back to living color. (lets her go) Besides, Xander’s looking for you, you need to go. Get dressed if you can find your clothes, and push off, see what the Scoobies are after.

Spike breaks off, looks down toward his waist.

SPIKE: Okay, that's cheating.

_Cut to the coffee shop. Willow sits at a computer terminal drinking from a water bottle. She puts the bottle down and begins typing._

_Shot of the computer screen, showing a web site labeled "Department of Motor Vehicles." A dialog box pops up saying "Warning, encrypted information!" with a status bar and a blinking "Searching." It fills up slowly._

_Willow fidgets, waiting. Shot of the status bar moving along. Shot of Willow tapping her fingers on the desk._

_She looks around, lifts one hand to touch the screen. Close shot of her eyes. Close shot of the screen. The search is almost finished._

_Willow pulls her hand back. The dialog box goes away, replaced with a screen labeled "Database, for Departmental Use Only." A list of names and addresses fills the screen._

_Willow looks relieved, picks up a notebook and pen, begins to copy information from the screen._

 

_Cut to exterior shot of the Summers house. Sound of Buffy's footsteps continues. It's dark (nighttime) and the house is lit up._

_Cut to the kitchen. The back door opens, closes._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Willow? Willow! (walks further into the kitchen) Dawn? Hey, Dawn, come here. You wanna see something neat?_

_No reply. Invisible Buffy sighs. The camera pans over to the refrigerator. It opens, revealing various food items including a pizza box._

_The back door opens again and Dawn comes in, moving slowly and quietly. She looks around, sees that the kitchen appears empty. She closes the door very carefully, begins tiptoeing toward the hall._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: There you are!_

_Dawn jumps, looks over at the open fridge, looks all around._

_DAWN: Buffy? W-where are you?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I'm invisible. Check this out._

_The pizza box floats out of the fridge and swoops around in the air._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Wooo, wooo! Unidentified flying pizza, comin' in for a landing._

_Dawn stares in shock as the pizza comes to sit on the island and the box opens._

_DAWN: W-what are you talking-_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Okay, not the most clever ad lib, but come on! Points for spontaneity._

_DAWN: (upset) Stop it! Just ... stop. (moving closer to the island)_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Sorry Dawn. I'm, I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to freak you out._

_DAWN: Well, what did you think would happen? You're freaking invisible, Buffy._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I know. Xander and Anya are working on it. Muldering out what happened. (moving around toward the stove)_

_DAWN: Well, what about you? Shouldn't you be working on it?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Of course I-_

_DAWN: Do you even care about, about who did this to you, or, or if you're gonna be stuck this way? You're making jokes and flying pizzas._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I don't think that's-_

_DAWN: (upset) I can't talk to you like this. I can't see you! How can I talk to you if I can't see you?_

_Dawn brushes past Invisible Buffy and runs down the hall to the stairs._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Dawn! Dawn!_

Invisible Buffy's POV turns from Dawn to the kitchen counter and notices that the answering machine is blinking. Zoom in on it. It flashes the number 2. Invisible Buffy pushes the button and the machine begins to rewind.

First comes the message from Doris. Pan to the calendar. Back to the answering machine. Buffy groans.

Then comes the next message.

XANDER: (on machine) Buffy, it's Xander. Where are you? Listen ... we got a new problem here.

ANYA: (on machine) Tell her!

XANDER: (on machine) I'm trying to. Anya and I think whatever made you invisible is slowly killing you.

ANYA: (on machine) Tell her about the pudding!

XANDER: (on machine) Anya! Buff, if we don't ... if this isn't reversed, you're gonna ... well, dissolve, or ... fade ... into nothing.

The machine beeps and turns off. Pan over to the empty air where Invisible Buffy is standing.

INVISIBLE BUFFY: Wow. (bitterly) Guess that’s it for Willow’s hot chocolate.

_Cut to a dark residential street. Willow walks along, pauses, looks at a house and then at a piece of paper in her hand._

_We see the Geek Trio's van in a driveway, partially covered by a tarp._

_Willow looks around, walks toward the van. She goes up to it, looks around again, walks between the van and the house._

_Cut to the Geeks' lair. Willow opens the bulkhead door and peeks down the stairs. She goes slowly down the stairs and into the basement lair. She walks around, looking around._

_She spots a bulletin board with a large piece of paper tacked up. It's a blueprint or schematic of the invisibility ray, conveniently labeled with the words "Invisibility Ray!" at the top. Willow walks over to it, studies the diagram._

_She smiles, looks at the table next to her, which has more blueprints on it. Turns and walks across to the workbench, where the invisibility ray is still sitting. Willow takes a swivel-lamp and moves it over to shed more light on the invisibility ray. She lifts her hand as if to touch it._

_WARREN: (OS) Now!_

_Willow turns in surprise. Reveal a roll of silver duct-tape floating in the air a few feet away._

_Suddenly Willow's arms rise up as if they had been grabbed by invisible hands. She struggles._

_WILLOW: Hey! Let go of me!_

_A piece of duct tape unrolls itself from the roll and rips free. It floats toward Willow._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Congratulations. You're our first hostage._

_The duct tape moves toward Willow's mouth as she continues struggling._

_Blackout._

 

_\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

 

_Open on the Summers house, foyer. The front door opens itself._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Dawn, I'm going out to find Xander. If he calls me-_

_The phone begins to ring. The door closes. Invisible Buffy moves into the living room, picks up the phone._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Xander?_

_JONATHAN: (on phone) Don't talk. Just listen, Slayer. You don't have a lot of time._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Who is this? You sound familiar._

_JONATHAN: (disguising his voice) I'm ... nobody. No one you know. We've got your friend Willow, and if you don't want anything nasty to happen to her, you better meet us. Alone._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Where?_

 

_Cut to a video-game arcade. Various kids playing various games, lots of noise. Pan over to reveal a guy taking tickets by a turnstile. The turnstile turns on its own, and he looks confused._

_The camera follows the invisible person into the arcade. A few kids get shoved aside and go "Hey!" We move further into the arcade and discover Willow standing by a pinball machine, looking nervous._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Just stay still, and you won't get hurt._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: You okay, Will?_

_WILLOW: Buffy?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Where are the bad guys?_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: All around you, Slayer, so don't try anything._

_WILLOW: He's bluffing, Buffy, there, there's just three of them, I think._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: More than enough to cause some serious carnage, right guys? ... Guys? Guys!_

_Shot of a video game with the joysticks moving on their own._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: Kick! Use the kick!_

_INVISIBLE ANDREW: I tried that, he keeps blocking it with his drunken monkey fist!_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Ooh, scary video carnage._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Hey! Slayer's here._

_INVISIBLE ANDREW: Sorry, didn't see her._

_The camera follows Invisible Andrew and Jonathan as they abandon their game to rejoin the group._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Why don't we continue this in a less crowded area, like, over there._

_Willow looks confused._

_ALL: Where?_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Over ... follow me._

_We see the invisibility ray floating in the air where Invisible Warren is. He grabs Willow's arm with his other invisible hand and pulls her away. She grimaces._

_WILLOW: Ow!_

_They move over to a quieter corner next to an air-hockey game. Willow starts as someone grabs her other arm._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you guys are the ones who did this to me?_

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: It was an accident!_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Who's that?_

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: (disguised voice) Nobody you know._

_WILLOW: They're the ones from your mystery van._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Oh. You. So what annoying thing are you gonna do to me now?_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Save your life, make you visible._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Right. I'm supposed to believe that?_

_WILLOW: They told me everything, Buffy. Something's happening to you that, you're-_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Fading away. I know._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: I can fix that._

_The invisibility ray lifts up and begins its preparatory whirring._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Pick up that air hockey mallet on the table._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: What for?_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: It'll give me a target to aim at. (Willow looking at the invisibility ray)_

_The air-hockey mallet floats up into the air. The whirring continues._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Okay, now hold still, and all your troubles will soon be gone._

_WILLOW: You're on the wrong setting!_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: What?_

_WILLOW: The gun, it's not set for reversing the particle ionization. It'll accelerate her molecular dissolution, I saw the plans!_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Mind your own business._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: What's she talking about?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: That's what I'd like to know._

_WILLOW: Buffy, he's trying to kill you!_

_The invisibility ray gun hits Willow in the face. She falls down._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Willow!_

_The air-hockey mallet flies through the air and hits Invisible Warren._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: Ow!_

_The invisibility ray falls to the floor._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Okay, play time's over._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: You haven't won yet, Slayer._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: No, that part comes after I beat the snot out of you._

_Throughout the whole exchange, the camera moves around as if following the various characters but really all we see is empty air._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: You'll have to find me first! There's three of us, against just one of you._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: Hey, you lied to us!_

_INVISIBLE ANDREW: Fight her yourself!_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: (angrily) Think she cares about that? I go down, we all go down!_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: And I promise, you're all going down._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: We may not have your powers, Slayer, but you'll find that we are not so easy to- (another air-hockey mallet hits him) Ow! Get her!_

_Fighting noises begin -- punches, grunts, etc. The camera swings around crazily as if following the action. Kids in the arcade look over in confusion at the noises._

_Shot of Willow still lying on the floor, sitting up with a pained expression._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: Wait a minute, wait a minute! Who's biting my leg?_

_INVISIBLE ANDREW: Sorry! Where is she?_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Here._

_Fight noises continue. A pinball machine shatters as if an invisible person had been thrown onto it. Kids scream and begin to run for the exit._

_Willow notices the invisibility ray under another pinball machine. She crawls over to get it._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: She can't find us if we split up._

_Willow picks up the ray gun and fiddles with it._

_INVISIBLE WARREN: You go that way._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: Which way?_

_INVISIBLE WARREN: That way! Over-_

_Punch noise. An invisible person goes flying into a room-sized container of plastic balls._

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: Just keep talking, boys._

_Willow gets to her feet, fiddling with the invisibility ray. Punching noises continue._

_INVISIBLE JONATHAN: Ow! Watch the chest hair!_

_INVISIBLE BUFFY: I know that voice. You-you're-_

_Willow aims the ray at the voices and fires. Buffy and Jonathan become visible. Buffy is holding Jonathan up by the front of his shirt._

_BUFFY: Jonathan?!_

_She lets him go and he falls to the floor._

_BUFFY: You have chest hair?_

_Willow fires at the plastic-ball-room. Warren appears._

_BUFFY: Warren?_

_Warren glares._

_Willow fires at the smashed pinball machine. Andrew appears._

_BUFFY: (frowns) Who are you?_

_ANDREW: Andrew._

_Buffy shrugs and shakes her head to show her lack of recognition._

_ANDREW: I summoned the flying monkeys that attacked the high school?_

_Willow and Buffy exchange a confused look._

_Warren climbs out of the plastic balls. Jonathan gets up and helps Andrew down from the pinball machine._

_ANDREW: During the school play, you know?_

_WARREN: It's Tucker's brother._

_JONATHAN: Yeah, it's Tucker's brother._

_BUFFY/WILLOW: Ohh._

_The Geek Trio stands side-by-side. Willow moves over to stand beside Buffy._

_BUFFY: So you three have, what, banded together to be pains in my ass?_

_WARREN: (walking sideways with the other two following him) We're your arch-nemesises ... ses. (Buffy and Willow looking confused) You may have beaten us this time, Slayer, but next time ... um ... uh, next time..._

_JONATHAN: Maybe not!_

_Jonathan throws something down in front of the Trio. It bursts into smoke and sparks (see episode "Life Serial"). Behind cover of the smoke we can see (but Buffy and Willow can't) the Trio running off._

_Buffy and Willow cough, wave the smoke away._

_WARREN: (OS) What do you mean, it's locked? You were supposed to check it!_

_ANDREW: (OS) I forgot!_

_The smoke clears to reveal the Trio standing by the back door looking sheepish._

_BUFFY: I give you my arch nemesises...ses. (frowns)_

_A security guard comes up behind Buffy and Willow._

_GUARD: What's going on in here? (Buffy and Willow turn to look at him) I got a bunch of scared kids saying this place is haunted!_

_Sound of a door opening. Buffy turns back to see the back-door closing behind the escaping Trio. Buffy sighs and looks irritated._

WILLOW: (surprised) Oh my god, Buffy!

BUFFY: (pouting) I know, they're gone. I guess we should chase them.

WILLOW: Nah, I think those boys have learned their lesson about playing with the grownups for a day or so.

_Cut to Buffy and Willow exiting the arcade. Willow still carries the invisibility ray._

_BUFFY: Pretty neat, you finding the van. (they begin walking down the street) So ... how did you manage to ... do it exactly? I mean, to locate it?_

_WILLOW: The hard way. The spell-free way. The oh-my-god-my-head's-gonna-fall-off, (grimaces, whines) my-feet-are-killing-me way._

_Willow sighs, makes a pained face, sits down on the edge of the curb. Buffy sits beside her._

_WILLOW: I don't know how I got through this day._

_BUFFY: Well, the important thing is that you did. It's a ... good first step._

_WILLOW: How are you doing, post-invisibleness?_

_BUFFY: (shrugs) Okay. I still have to do some damage control from my giddy-fest. Dawn was pretty freaked out. (pauses) The whole taking-a-vacation-from-me thing didn't work out so well._

_WILLOW: (nods) Tell me about it._

_BUFFY: Except ... when I got Xander's message ... you know, that I was ... fading away ... I actually got scared._

_WILLOW: Well, yeah. Who wouldn't?_

_BUFFY: Me. I wouldn't. Not too long ago I probably would have welcomed it. But I realized ... I'm not saying that I'm doing back-flips about my life, but... (nods) I didn't ... I don't ... wanna die. (looks hopefully at Willow) That's something, right?_

_WILLOW: It's something._

_Longer shot of the two of them sitting there side-by-side on the curb, looking morose._

_WILLOW: So I guess we both made good first steps._

_BUFFY: I guess._

_WILLOW: Yay for us._

_BUFFY: Yay._

_Blackout._

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cut to several days later. Late morning. The house is quiet.

There is knocking on the door.

BUFFY: (descends the stairs, smoothes out her much more modest shirt, and calls back behind her) You’re going to be good, right?

SPIKE: (appears coming down the stairs behind Buffy, looks mildly insulted) Who invited who, remember?

BUFFY: (pouting) I’m making a first step, and you’re not being very helpy. (snarkily) Besides, you’re only here because Willow’s still all shaky-withdrawaly and Xander’s at work.

SPIKE: Good thing I’m here then. (Bounds down the stairs past Buffy, pauses to catch her in a chaste kiss before she can turn away, smirks) Don’t worry, I’ll be good. (stands before the closed door) Ready?

Buffy nods. Spike opens the door to reveal a middle-aged woman standing on the front step holding some papers. It’s Doris Kroger.

MS. KROGER: (removing her glasses, smiling at Spike) I'm Doris Kroger, from Social Services. (displaying her ID badge) Oh, good morning. You must be — I’m sorry, who are you?

SPIKE: Spike. Friend of the family. (He moves out from the door to reveal Buffy)

BUFFY: (smiling widely and coming forward) Hi, Ms. Kroger. I’m Buffy; we talked on the phone? (Pauses to let Ms. Kroger in) Sorry about the other day, I had to help some friends last minute with their store, and I didn’t get a chance to call.

Doris nods slightly but still seems wary. As she passes Spike, she gives him a last cautious glance, and then follows Buffy into the living room. Spike hangs back to shut the door and give them some space.

We pan around the living room and see that all the magical items from a few days before are gone. The room looks to have undergone a thorough cleaning.

Buffy looks nervous as she sits down on the couch and Ms. Kroger joins her. Spike comes in and sits down on a chair to the side of them. He looks a lot more at ease than Buffy.

MS. KROGER: (looking around) This seems an awfully large house, Ms. Summers, especially since, (shuffles her papers around) you’re currently unemployed, am I right?

BUFFY: Oh, well, you know, our mom left it to us. (Ms. Kroger nods) And, well, my friend Willow rents a room from us, she’s in college. And, uh, I work with some friends of mine sometimes, they have a novelty shop, and I help out when they need it. (Takes a deep breath)

MS. KROGER: (doesn’t seem all that convinced) And who watches Dawn, when you’re all out at this… novelty shop? Or is she home alone. (Starts to make a note on her file)

SPIKE: (cutting off her note-writing) I watch Dawn. Help her with her history homework and all that rot.

BUFFY: (quickly, as though she’s trying not to think too hard on it) He’s my boyfriend.

MS. KROGER: (rounding happily on Spike) So, (sweetly) you don’t work either?

SPIKE: (glances quickly at Buffy but keeps calm) Work nights.

MS. KROGER: Anybody else that you babysit for?

SPIKE: No. (nods towards Buffy) Look, Buffy's a great mom. She takes good care of her little sis. (Both Buffy and Ms. Kroger smile) Ask any of her friends. She’s right protective of Dawn.

MS. KROGER: (nodding) I’m sure. (Turns back to Buffy) However, Ms. Summers, your sister's grades have fallen sharply in the last year, due in large part to her frequent absences and lateness.

BUFFY: (caught slightly off guard) There, there are good reasons, and she’s making it all up. Willow and Spike are helping her with her homework, when she needs it, and… (Cuts herself off)

MS. KROGER: We’ll see how well the makeups go. (Looking towards the stairs) May I see the rest of the house?

BUFFY: (her and Ms. Kroger getting up) Sure. Okay, well, (walking into the kitchen) the kitchen, obviously.

Spike stays back, motioning to Buffy that he’ll wait downstairs when Ms. Kroger is engrossed at looking at the kitchen.

BUFFY: (nodding to Spike) And that door goes to the basement. We mainly store stuff down there. Kinda dusty. (Quickly leads Ms. Kroger upstairs)

The entire house is definitely cleaner, the banister to the stairs almost shining in the low lamplight of the house.

BUFFY: Uh, (pointing) and there’s the bathroom, and my room, and Willow’s, and there’s Dawn’s room…

MS. KROGER: (heading towards Dawn’s room) Can I peek in Dawn’s room?

BUFFY: Uh, yeah, I guess.

Ms. Kroger goes into Dawn’s room and peeks around, while Buffy hangs back in the doorway. It’s typically messy of a teenager, but not overwhelmingly so. There are stuffed animals, books, homework, and clothes spread over the bed and dressers, but the floor is clean. Ms. Kroger pauses to look at the pictures on Dawn’s dresser of Dawn, Buffy, Joyce, and a few friends.

MS. KROGER: (coming out of Dawn’s room) Well, everything seems to be all right. I think you’re making an honest improvement, Ms. Summers, and it’s good that you have a support system of friends. (Heads towards the door, pauses) I’d like to schedule another meeting in a month or so. That should be enough time for Dawn to catch some of her grades up. (Buffy nods vigorously)

Spike gets up from the living room and comes to the doorway, still hanging back a little.

MS. KROGER: I’d like to meet with Dawn next time, and your friends, (nods towards Spike) your boyfriend and I can finish our little chat.

BUFFY: I’ll talk to Dawn, and everybody, and we’ll find a day, okay? (Opening the door for Ms. Kroger)

MS. KROGER: See you in a month, Ms. Summers. (Smiling sweetly at Spike) Spike.

Ms. Kroger walks out and Spike comes forward to gleefully shut the door behind her.

SPIKE: And goodbye to you, Wicked Witch of the East (to Buffy) think if we poured water on her, she’d melt?

BUFFY: (nervously) That went okay. Right? I mean, it was okay?

SPIKE: (pulling an only slightly reluctant Buffy into his arms) It went fine. It’s gonna be okay with this silly bint, just have to run some hoops is all.

BUFFY: (sighing) Yeah, like getting you a job, and Willow all not ex-addicty, and Dawn to not hate me and get her grades up, in a month.

SPIKE: Well, I can still pull a few strings in the demon community and get a good pretend job. And Red’s getting better every day, she’ll be right as rain in a month or so. Dawn and I will sort out her homework, even if I have to put up with the abomination you Yanks call English, and she’ll come ‘round to you again.

BUFFY: (looking up at Spike) Why do you do that?

She fiddles with a lock of her still long hair and almost tries to get out of Spike’s grasp, but instead laces one hand over his, where they’re wrapped around her waist loosely.

SPIKE: (confused) What?

BUFFY: (quietly) Make everything seem so easy and make me not so scared to be… here…

SPIKE: Because (cheekily) I’m your boyfriend, (stops her before she can protest). Ah, ah, you said it, and you can’t take it back.

Spike breaks away from Buffy and swaggers backwards, just out of her reach.

BUFFY: (moaning pitifully) Oh God, I did.

SPIKE: And now it’s daylight, and I’m all cooped up inside. Just me and my girl…

BUFFY: (watching as he does that thing with his tongue) I’m dating a complete pig!

Spike comes close to Buffy again, suddenly serious, and pulls her up against him, one hand holding her flush to him and the other dropping out of sight.

SPIKE: Yeah, and it makes you feel alive.

BUFFY: (with a small gasp) Maybe, maybe being alive is starting to make me feel alive.

SPIKE: Well, it’s about damn ti—

Buffy crushes her lips to his as we…

FADE TO BLACK


End file.
